Promising trio celebrate new Sussex cricket deals

Staff reporter

Delray Rawlins, Abi Sakande and Stuart Whittingham have been rewarded with contract extensions that will keep them at Sussex until at least the end of the 2019 season.

All three players are graduates of Sussex Cricket’s Academy programme run in conjunction with the ECB.

Rawlins made his first-team debut for Sussex this year after a highly successful winter with the England Under-19s in India.

The Bermuda-born 20-year-old played in three Championship matches, as well as the one-day and first class matches against South Africa and South Africa A, making 96 in the latter.

Sakande also impressed against South Africa A, taking a maiden first-class five-wicket haul, including the wicket of Proteas test batsman, Tavemba Bavuma.

That performance earned the 22-year-old Oxford University graduate a Championship debut in the day-night match against Gloucestershire in late June and a second appearance during Sussex’s 231-run win over Leicestershire in July.

Whittingham is making his fourth Specsavers County Championship appearance of the season this week at Durham. The 23-year-old took his first Championship five-wicket haul during Sussex’s fixture against Derbyshire at The 1st Central County Ground last week.

All three players were part of the Sussex 2nd XI side that won the Second Eleven T20 earlier this season.

Speaking after signing his contract extension, Rawlins said: "To get the security of having more time here is something that excites me. I can get my head down and try to push to get in the first team.”

Sakande was pleased that his efforts this summer have been rewarded: “I’m glad to be part of Sussex’s future plans and happy that the hard work I’ve put in this season has paid off.”

Expressing his desire to develop his career at Sussex, Whittingham said: “This is where I want to play my cricket in the future. To have the security of knowing that this is where I am going to be over the next two years is great.”

Sussex’s Director of Cricket, Keith Greenfield added: “We’re very excited by Abi, Delray and Stuart’s continued development and their potential future impact on the future of Sussex Cricket.

“Congratulations to all three. We look forward to accompanying them on the next step of their cricketing journeys."